Zoia Skoropadenkois a Ukrainian contemporary mixed-media artist, based in Monaco, known for her paintings, sculptures and sketching, and for being wrongfully suspected as a spy...[1]She countsMichelangelo,Magritte,Corot,MatisseandPetrov Vodkinas some of her artistic influences and is inspired by theNouveau réalismemovement. She was one of the pioneers of the 'Flash Exhibition'[2]and is aUNESCOrecognized artist.
Zoia Skoropadenko | |
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| Born | 1978 Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine |
| Nationality | Ukrainian |
| Education | National Art School, Institute of Fine Arts,Lviv University |
| Known for | Painting,Sketching,Sculpting |
| Notable work | TORSO,Coffee Drinkers,Intellectual landscapes,Japanese Ink |
| Website | https://www.zoiaskoropadenko.com/ |
She is the creator and owner of micro-galleryLa Vitrinein Palais de La Scala inMonaco– an alternative contemporary art space for emerging artistic talent. In 2011, the Monaco government granted Zoia the official status of an Artist-Painter of Monaco. Zoia splits her time mainly between Monaco, Japan, the US, Belgium and France, where she exhibits frequently.
Her widely exhibited TORSO series is considered her most controversial work as noted in publications such as theBrussels Times[3]andFrance Info.[4]
Early life
editBorn and raised inKryvyi RihinUkraine,Zoia showed an aptitude for art from a very young age and was tutored by Ukrainian national artistGrigory Sinitsafrom five years old.
Originally taking a conventional route, which belied her later artistic direction, Zoia studied at the National Art School followed by the Institute of Fine Arts. However, at the age of 12 her studies came to a sudden end due to the fall of the Soviet Union, which made it impossible for anyone without money to pursue an art education.
Skoropadenko continued her education atLviv Universityas a student journalist where, as an early user of a PC and modem, and with a network of journalist friends, she roused suspicions that she was a spy and was kicked out.
Career beginnings
editIn her early twenties Zoia hitchhiked around Europe. After many years of being ‘down and out in Europe’ she ended up in Monaco where, as a speaker of eight languages, she found herself a job translating. It was here that she found herself immersed in the art scene and artistic life of theCote D’Azur.During this period she met such prominent contemporary artists such asArman,Ernst Fuchs,Emma de Sigaldi,Jean-Michel FolonandRobert Rauschenbergand became a member of the National Art Committee and ADAGP.[5]
During the economic crisis of 2008 times were tough and to make ends meet Zoia had to wait until the end of the day to buy the cheapest food from the market and docks. On one occasion a local fisherman gave her a bag of octopuses for lunch. She wanted to eat them, but instead had an idea: to use the octopuses to create a sculpture. The gift of food became theTORSO series.
Art works and exhibitions
editBetween 2004 and 2010 Zoia had many solo exhibitions across Europe. However, it was the premier exhibition of TORSO in South London's Menier Gallery[6]in 2011, which saw her international career really take off. As well as selling a number of pieces and catching the eye of the local media, the series was featured in influential art magazineCreative Review,[7][self-published source]which subsequently appeared on newspaper stands all over the world. Nicki Paxman in her review of TORSO for theBBC's Outlook programme said of Zoia's work:"it is clearly a painting of an octopus but Zoia's arranged it in such a way that it looks like a flayed human torso.".[8]
In 2015 Zoia was invited by theStock Exchange Rifle Clubto exhibit TORSO at their shooting range. She is the only artist who has created an exhibition there. This marked the artist's third ‘Flash Exhibition.’[9]The same year she appeared onUkraine Todaytalking about her exhibition dedicated to the Nuclear Power accidents inChernobylandFukishima[10][11]
Skoropadenko'sIntellectual landscapesseries has its roots inimpressionism,with the oil paintings depicting minimalistic views that the artist sees on her travels. First sketched in situ and then painted back at the artist's studio, much white ‘flesh’ is left on the canvas so that viewer can fill in the gaps. The Intellectual landscapes series got its first public viewing as a pop up exhibition at the Ukrainian Embassy in Brussels to celebrateEurope Dayin 2016.
Zoia debuted a new series of work ‘Coffee drinkers’ as a solo exhibition atGinzacontemporary art gallery Art For Thought in Tokyo in November 2016.[12]‘Coffee drinkers,’ a series of linocuts depicting scenes of everyday life in a random café, took its inspiration partly from the paintings ofDegas,Manet,PicassoandToulouse Lautrec,which portrayedAbsinthedrinkers.
2016 closed with Zoia conducting a controversial pop up exhibition in Brussels and very nearly being hospitalised after a horrific fall when hanging her paintings ahead of the event.[13]
In February 2017, Zoia embarked on her 'Painting California' live art trail. Based in a beachfront house in Balboa, she is paintingen plein air(and live) in the locales ofOrange County,Los Angeles,San DiegoandSan Franciscoand following in the footsteps ofRex Brandt,Ken PriceandDavid Hockney.The trail is part of Zoia's oil minimalistic series 'Intellectual landscapes.'
Zoia continues to regularly exhibit in Monaco, London, Tokyo, Paris and Brussels and has held exhibitions in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg as well as in Fukushima and Osaka in Japan and in China.
References
edit- ^"Monaco artist who was suspected spy to show octopus sculptures beneath London Bridge | Culture24".www.culture24.org.uk.Retrieved2017-02-09.
- ^"TORSO - UCL's Arts and Culture Journal".UCL's Arts and Culture Journal.2015-01-26.Retrieved2017-02-09.
- ^SU."The Brussels Times - Torso - an exhibition with a difference comes to Brussels".Retrieved2017-02-09.
- ^"Zoia Skoropadenko: Torso, une exposition controversée dans un cloître".Le blog de Thierry Hay(in French). 2015-02-05.Retrieved2017-02-09.
- ^BWW News Desk."Monte-Carlo Art Factory Presents New Work By Zoia Skoropadenko".Retrieved2017-02-09.
- ^"Past Exhibitions 2011".www.meniergallery.co.uk.Retrieved2017-02-09.
- ^"Zoia Skoropadenko. Artist".Zoia Skoropadenko. Artist.Retrieved2017-02-09.
- ^"Making Sculptures out of Octopus, Outlook - BBC World Service".BBC.Retrieved2017-02-09.
- ^"Zoïa Skoropadenko: TORSO at London Bridge".ArtRabbit.Retrieved2017-02-09.
- ^UKRAINE TODAY (2015-10-05),Ukrainian Art Goes Global: Skoropadenko's works displayed in Japan to remember Chornobyl, Fukushima,retrieved2017-02-09
- ^"The exhibition" Four Seasons "by Ukrainian artist Ms. Zoia Skoropadenko has been opened at the Embassy of Ukraine in Japan - News from Ukraine's diplomatic missions - MFA of Ukraine".mfa.gov.ua.Retrieved2017-02-09.
- ^"Zoia Skoropadenko" Coffee Drinkers and Milk "".Tokyo Art Beat.Retrieved2017-02-09.
- ^Mills, Kelly-Ann (2016-12-13)."Famous artist dramatically falls off ladder while hanging picture for exhibition".mirror.Retrieved2017-02-09.